Remember Me?
by SimplyNorah
Summary: Grace doesn't usually have things running after her, scratch that, never has things running after her Including gorgeous guys with snobby girlfriends So what makes Andrè so special? A little chick lit with laughs, love and friends. Enjoy!
1. Chapter One

_A/N: I had this story posted a couple of years ago but found it on my hard drive and decided to update it (desperately needed it.) It's just a little bit of fun, I hope you all enjoy it. Please don't be shy to give me some feedback or anything at all. Thanks guys :-)_

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_**CHAPTER ONE**_

Oh my goodness, I am so late. Last night a couple of my friends and I headed to Lola's, we were meant to spend only a few hours but one drink turned into 5 and an hour turned into a whole night! Now I'm rushing around my apartment (which I pay a ridiculous amount of money for) looking for my stockings one minute and my eye-liner the next. God, Why am I so…UNORGANISED!? This is why Andy is always giving me warnings. It's not my fault, I mean it is but I always promise to be more punctual.

I rushed into the office and saw my friends Lucy, Ange and Charlize (who I usually call Liz or Char) waving me over instead I mouthed to them "I'm late" and blew kisses. I rushed past the receptionist, Lacey and the boss, who still doesn't notice me unless I'm late, Andy. Finally turned the corner to reach my cubicle and slumped on my chair.

I turned the computer on and a bunch of notifications popped up. I wasn't very technology savvy, I just recently got the hang of actually creating my own email (yet I work in a publishing house, where pretty much all our time is spent on computers drafting rejection letters to the hundreds of manuscripts from starving authors/journalists). I opened up my emails to scan for any new notices from work to let us know of any changes for the day but was relieved to find nothing.

The one email that resulted in me raising an eyebrow was from Andrè, he was one of the executive editors, he's also Italian and gorgeous and has every girl in the office -I admit, he had me too- after him.

_Hey Gracie, How's my belated birthday girl going?_  
_Listen I'd thought I'd take you out somewhere nice and romantic for the big 25th even if it's a little late. _  
_Make my wish come true and say yes?_  
_Ciao!_

Well, wasn't expecting this at 9:17 am...Dinner? With him? Oh my god!

_Ah, Mr Parciso, I'd love to join you but I might have already got plans for this evening,_  
_I'll let you know soon. But hey, jog my memory for me, will you? Didn't I see you not along ago out with Lacey?_

The thing with me and André isn't complicated, just…simple in a complicated way, oh and very common. We were at the office Christmas party almost 2 years ago when I had one too many drinks and so had he, I invited him back to mine and...things happened and not the kind where we stayed up till 7 am talking about the hardships of our childhoods, but the kind where was hair being pulled and our bodies were being...satisfied, to say the least. Anyway, while we were going at it, his phone rang and he picked up. It was Lacey, his on/off girlfriend (AKA Lacey the receptionist) or...close friend pretty much asking for a booty call which he had the nerve to actually consider doing, so I did the smart thing and kicked him out.

I started getting on with my work by proof-reading the Puerto Rican editorial piece when my computer buzzed and showed an icon saying I have one new message.

_Oh, c'mon, we both know you don't have plans, _  
_just say yes and we'll both have a very lovely evening. By the way, nice skirt._  
_About Lacey, I've told you one too many times, we're friends._  
_Remember, just say yes and I'll be at your place at 8._

Oh, why make him keep going, if he is going to annoy me about it all evening, I might as well say yes.

_Alright, fine. As a matter of fact, I do have plans, not very fun ones but still, they're plans._  
_Pick me up at 8, Don't be late._

Okay, I'll admit it. It's not that I was actually interested in being wined and dined by this guy, but I liked that he wanted me for a change, not the other way around. And so what, if I get a little action out of it (from what I can remember, was definitely fun) then so be it.

"You're going out with André?" asked Lucy "Do you think anything is going to happen?"

"Oh honey, you so know everything is going to happen, that is why she said yes and it was his plan..." gasped Liz.

"Well, not really, I agreed to go to actually see him. Just him and I...alone' I said shyly, Dammit why did I tell them, I mean they are my closest friends but they do tend to open their mouths too much.

"So where is this date going to be hitting' it off?" asked Liz.

I chuckled, "Yeah, I'm really going to tell you girls, you'd all show up and ask to join" We all broke into a fit of laughter, only because we all know that it's true. They've done it before.

Lacey walked in just before we got out, throwing dirty looks in my direction. Suddenly, the entire ladies room fell silent. Not a toilet was being flushed, or a lipstick cap was being taken off, you couldn't even hear the slightest sound. It was as if everyone in the room was waiting for this confrontation.

As we were in the ladies room, right when Lacey walked out of the toilets, she came back in because she had, as she put it, "forgotten something" and it's utter bullshit because Lacey doesn't do double trips, she likes being known as the leader of some sort. Don't ask me how I know so much, I'm almost ashamed to admit it, we used to be quite close.

So, she comes back in and starts looking around. So Angela asked her what she was looking for and her reply was, "sneaky girls who cannot for the life of them, get their own boyfriends..." then she turns around and looks me up and down, "Oh, well. I've found her" I wasn't surprised, not so much shocked because Lacey does think she's still in high school. 'Sweetie, I don't do slimy seconds' I smiled and walked out.

It turns out, according to Lacey, that I am now the "office slut" One date with a guy (that hasn't even happened yet) and I become a slut? I would actually care if I had the energy, but I don't so that plan is out.

But for tonight, maybe ice-cream...or...waffles. I wonder what's on tv tonight. I slump myself against my sofa and turn the television on. News...boring, Crocodile Adventures...boring, Date Movie, hmmm. Not bad. I snuggle up against my cushions and pull the blanket over my legs and suddenly, I remember my date. My infamous date with Andre.

I hurriedly get off the sofa and run towards my wardrobe. I never go shopping, I realised as I opened it. I have to go shopping. Okay. Okay, Grace, think. What do women wear for their 25th birthday with an unbelievably stunning man who was once a one-nighter? I need help. I immediately pick up my cell phone and dial Angela's number.

"C'mon, answer, answer!" I found myself muttering anxiously.

"Gracie?" I hear Angela's surprised voice.

"Yes. It's me. I just remembered my date with Andre and I have nothing to wear" I cried.

"Well...wear your pleated dress, that's pretty!"

I sigh, "It's for old people. I'm young...I'm hip...I'm..." I suddenly spot a red dress behind all the coats...I wonder when I bought that dress; it's quite sexy, "Sexy. Don't worry, I found something. Love you!"

I hang up and push my way through the stacks of coats that I have for no reason. It's not like it's always cold. I pull the dress out and take it out of the hanger. I remember this dress; I wore it for my 21st birthday. I was so tiny back then, let's hope I fit into this.

He is here. I am here, we're both here. In the same car...breathing the same air. Why is this a big deal? Andre is just taking me out for a birthday dinner. It's normal, it's what friends do, maybe not friends who had a fling but still, friends. Just before I do my traditional 3-deep-breaths-and-head-rolls, Andre says something to me.

"Sorry, what?" I ask.

"Nothing. You look sexy, you should wear this to work" He cheekily grins at me.

I chuckle, "Very funny. So, where are you taking me?" I ask him curiously.

"It's a surprise" He replies with a stupid smile plastered on his face.

We sat in the car for 5 minutes in complete silence before we pull up at Le Très, one of the hottest restaurants in the city. Famous people dine here, not me. Andre hops out of the car. I'm guessing he's going to open my door so I quickly fix myself in the mirror. I look around, wondering where he is, since he is taking long just to get to other side of the car, before I noticed him standing next to the door, waving me in.

Shit. Bad move.

I attempt to make up for my idiocy by gracefully getting out of the car, slam the door and walk towards Andre. I'm not as excited as I should've been, I know that feeling for sure. The rest of me is pretty much numb from nervous-ness. But why should I be? I've seen this guy naked. But since I've put that thought into my head, it's hard to get it out. Great, just what I needed.

"This is nice..." I say slowly. He puts his arm around my waist and leads me in.


	2. Chapter 2

_**CHAPTER**_ **_TWO_**

The waiters start eyeing me before leading us to our table, which, might I add is right next to the little fountain that has vodka or alcohol of some sort pouring out of it. I have never eaten in here but this is truly amazing. The waiters hand us menus and walk off. "So, what's good here?" I ask him.

"Let's see, shall we?" He opens his menu and begins scanning it. I do the same.

Lobster at $70? No wonder I don't eat here. That is one pair of really expensive boots I could buy. I take a quick peek at Andre.

"Okay," I declare, "I'm having the Beef Bourguignon with a glass of Chardonnay" I look up at him as I close my menu.

"Oooh, good choice. I'll have the...Braised duck with orange sauce" he says to the waiter. The waiter writes the order down and takes our menus up. I can feel my phone vibrating against my feet.

"Excuse me, will you?" I push my chair back, pick my purse up and go to the bathrooms. I take my phone out to see Liz's name printed across the screen. "Char!" I answer.

"Hi! We're just wondering how it's going, have you guys ripped eachother's clothes off yet?" she asks excitedly.

"No, we haven't and we won't! And who is "we"?" I quickly look up at the mirror and see my reflection. I don't look that bad, if I do say so myself.

"Me and Angela. We have to go, we have boys coming over soon. Call us when you get home and remember, laugh at all of his jokes" she warns me.

"He hasn't made jokes" I informed her.

"Ooh. Well..." I hear her whisper something to Angela, "That's not good. Call me when you can. Bye!" She hangs up. I flatten my dress down and walk out. Just before I walk back to the table, I notice a brunette girl perched across Andre. I didn't say I was leaving, did I? I slowly creep back near the toilets and watch them.

"Should I call security?" I hear an unfamiliar voice startle me causing me to jump in fear that it might somehow be Andre that caught me watching him and the brunette (impossible, I know) I turn around to an unfamiliar face.

"Excuse me?" I ask.

"Is he an ex-boyfriend that you're stalking?" said the stranger.

I don't know why I was so shocked with what he said, maybe because I didn't think I looked that desperate, and also because nobody is really honest around here, it was refreshing in a rude kind of way, not that what he was saying was true. But you get my drift.

"For your information, he is actually MY date!" I said, folding my arms.

"...That's a bit odd, shouldn't you be in her seat then? Rather than hiding near the restrooms?"

"Um..." I stammered, "Yes. But I'm sure they know each other and she was just saying hello." I felt proud of my response, because it could be true. I certainly don't recognize that busty brunette but Andre might, (probably does) they might have gone to college together and who knew that they'd run into one another tonight.

"I had no idea people look like that when they're saying hello" he said, pointing to our table "She actually looks like she's ready to jump his bones" I turn around to look at our table and he is totally right. She couldn't keep it in her pants. Or in her case, her very tiny leather skirt. The worst part about that was that Andre looked like he was enjoying himself, which in turn made me look even worse in front of this stranger.

"Listen mister, I don't know who you think you are, but the last thing I need right now is another asshole acting like he knows everything about me. Sure I slept with him, sure I said yes to this stupid dinner because I wanted to give him a taste of what he was missing and sure it took me about 17 minutes to fit into this dress, but I'm here now and I can barely breathe. " I said, taking a breath, "I really had to pee, and now that I have, I feel much better. So leave me alone!"

The stranger seemed quite taken aback by my response but hey, it was the truth.

"I'm still quite confused..."

"He is my date. I'm not going to lie about a date, who do you think I am?" I said irritably.

Don't ask me why I'm blowing everything out of proportion, maybe I'm getting my period? I don't even know. Or I guess the fact that some girl sat down for two minutes and Andre gave her all the attention in the world, definitely more than I've gotten from him the entire night.

"It's not about him being your date that I'm confused about, but you know what? I completely agree with you. I'm sorry I intruded. Have a good night." He said as he made his way past me. I pulled him back by his shirt so that he was standing right in front of me.

"You don't believe me do you?" I asked, boldly.

"I didn't say anything of the sort." he said calmly.

"Oh, you pretty much insinuated it." I said. "And I'll prove it!"

What did I just say? What exactly am I doing? How the hell am I going to prove it? Out of all the stupid things I've done in my life, this has definitely topped the charts. I feel so stupid. But you know what? I'm going to go over there, and I'm going to kiss him. And I'm also going to make sure that the stupid stranger guy is watching, and do you know why? Because Andre IS MY DATE!

I slowly straightened my dress down, pushed my hair to the back and stuck my chest out, improvising on what I'm going to do, to say. I know this is going to be a disaster. I lifted my chin, threw my shoulders back, and starting walking towards our table with poise, when deep down, I think I may have peed my pants...Maybe a little.

Only a few steps away from our table and what seems to be a lovely conversation between Andre and the girl in my seat, I walk faster till I reach the table, throw my hands around Andre and kissed him so passionately, I could have sworn I heard birds singing... Or maybe that was the girl in my chair screaming "HEY!."

For a moment, everything blurred out, it was as if the earth stood still, I could hear nothing but the subtle moans of desire between each kiss. It was everything I've wanted in a kiss. Although I was so deep into it, I knew the crowd was watching, and I most certainly knew that stranger guy was watching too, and he was the only one I wanted a reaction from, because I knew that he knew that I couldn't do it but I surprised us both. Wow, I screwed up.

I pulled away slowly, opening my eyes and looking into Andre's.

"...Wow" Andre said slowly, "What was that for?"

I looked up at him "Oh, no reason, just a birthday kiss" I chuckled.

Now that the heat of the moment is well and truly dusted, I clicked to me how much I didn't want this to happen. Sure, he is beautiful. Sure he has the biceps of a Greek god. And sure, he had the smile that could melt hearts but I was done with him... two years ago.


End file.
